Universities 20 pc short of teachers even before intake of quota

Published: Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 15:07 [IST]

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New Delhi, May 7 (UNI) Teaching in the institutions of higher learning is suffering due to shortage of teachers, and the problem becomes acute in view of the fact that these institutions are to go ahead with implementation of 27 per cent quota for other backward classes.

According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), around 20 per cent teaching posts were lying vacant in Central Universities as on October 31, 2007.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has said in reply to a parliamentary question that it was taking various steps to fill these vacancies like enhancing the age of superannuation from 62 to 65, allowing institutions to re-employ teachers after superannuation till the age of 70 years.

Besides, it has constituted a committee to review the scales of pay of teachers in the universities and colleges and to make recommendations on ways and means of attracting and retaining talented persons in the teaching profession.

The Chadha Committee is required to submit its report within one year of its constitution, viz by September five, 2008.

A large number of posts were lying vacant for several years and on a large number of them only ad-hoc appointees were working, a problem towards which the attention of the University Grants Commission(UGC) has been drawn time and again.

Following the recent Supreme Court judgment clearing the Government move to introduce 27 per cent quota in institutions of higher learning, the institutions have been asked to increase their seats to accommodate the OBC students without disturbing the existing number of seats for the general category students.

A number of universities like the JNU and some IIMs had already decided to start introducing reservations in phases from this year itself, while others would be doing so from the next year.